a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the field of material handling equipment and in particular to medical material handling apparatus and more particularly to the construction of a tray and cover for primary use in the medical field.
b. Description of the Prior Art
There exists a problem in the prior art in the efficient, sterile and convenient storage and transfer of various medical equipment, drugs, specimens, vials, and other such medical paraphernalia and materials. In the past a simply constructed fiberglass tray having a bottom with four sides extending upward therefrom has been employed for the storage and transfer of the described medical materials. Such simply constructed trays usually have an open top.
One problem associated with the prior art trays is that the fiberglass generates small particles that can contaminate whatever is being stored in the trays. Continual usage and transfer of the trays exacerbate the particle generation and resulting contamination problem. Decontamination of the prior art fiberglass trays by the generally known and used methods in the medical field can cause deterioration of the fiberglass and make it more susceptible to the particle generation problem. For example, both usage and decontamination can cause deterioration of the fiberglass finish coat exposing the glass and resin under the finish coat which can then result in particles of glass and resin. Equally important is that prior art fiberglass trays have been known to fracture. Even a small fracture during usage can generate talc, resin, glass and other particles that can and will contaminate the interior of the prior art trays and the contents within the tray
Additional problems are associated with the prior art trays is that the open top does not prevent the entrance of other contaminates and does not provide for security and/or tamper evidence of the materials being stored in the trays.
Another prior art tray comprises the tray being made from stainless steel. While stainless steel trays do provide for decontamination and are generally superior to fiberglass trays, they are expensive, heavy and can generate metallic particles. Moreover, if stainless steel trays incorporate a provision for stacking one on top of another, they become especially expensive.
Thus, there exists the need for a tray construction that allows for convenient, secure, ready accessibility to the interior thereof, that lessens the problem of contamination, that allows for decontamination without deterioration of the tray itself, and that can be used with a transfer cart, or that can be used for general purposes. These needs have been a long standing problem in the prior art which are overcome by the present invention.